Side saddlebags are frequently used in conjunction with bicycles, motorcycles and other vehicles having limited storage capabilities, to accommodate additional effects. In that the vehicles may be operated at high speeds, rigid housings or frameworks are generally used which might be positively secured to the vehicle by structures integrally mated with the vehicle frame.
Exemplary are U.S. Pat. No. 3,786,972 to Alley and U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,829 to Hine, Jr. et al. which disclose a pair of side packs on a bicycle. In each, a rigid framework is constructed intricately with a bicycle frame and defines a receptacle for a conforming container.
The drawbacks of such a construction are numerous. Most notable is the fact that a permanent or semi-permanent framework is required to accommodate the containers. Apart from the inconvenience of mounting, the framework also adds a considerable amount of unwanted weight to the vehicle. Further, with the packs removed, the framework is an obtrusive addition to the rear of the vehicle.
As an alternative to the rigid design, a soft saddlebag construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,869 to Hilgendorff. In Hilgendorff, an expansive web extends between the side bags to afford stability to the mounted pack. To secure the pack to the vehicle, a plurality of tie strings are included about the housing. Each time the pack is mounted, the ties must be individually secured to and adjusted about the vehicle. This is both inconvenient and time consuming. Further, when the pack is removed, it must be transported as a unit, including both the housings and the adjoining web. Thus it has little utility separate from the vehicle.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems specified above.